Electric switch



June 14, 1960 c. A. LAMBERT 2,941,057

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.3

F|G.5 FIGS 68 7e 73 so 42 86 32 so 76 78 32 L, 58 62 FIG. 7 6 $3 2 242 244 250 46 240 9 22a loo 44 222 Q 236 94 f 52 22s 232 230 5 38 INVENTOR. CECIL A.LAMBERT June 14, 1960 c. A. LAMBERT 2,941,

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 1, 1958 3 Sheets-$heet 2 I36; I40; 2144 ,ISZ INVENTOR \92 CECIL A. LAMBERT FIG.I7 BY W AGENT .June 14, 1960 c. A. LAMBERT 2,941,057

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 FIG.I3

FIG-l4 FIGJS INVENTOR CECIL A.LAMBERT BY M /3W AGEN T -selective ones are only momentarily closed.

States Patent ELECTRIC SWITCH Cecil ArLambert, Lancaster, Ohio, assignor to Essex Wire Corporation, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,251

6 Claims. (Cl. 200-104) 'This invention-relates to electric switches and more particularly to a reciprocating contact type switch suitable'for controlling an electric circuit.

As described, the invention is embodied in an electric switch operated by the actuator of an electromagnet to alternately open and close a plurality of circuits of which Such a switch is particularly suited for use in the'door locking system of an automotive vehicle where the actuator of the electromagnet is connected with a push rod controlling the locking and unlocking latch of a vehicle door and the switch is connected in a control circuit for enerzgizing .theawindings of its electromagnet and of similar .:electromagnets :in the other doors of the vehicle. 'It is to be understood that the switch is capable of many other :uses-and is adaptableupon employment of different contact combinations for control of many different circuit arrangements. 3 I

It-is anobject of this invention to provide an electric switch with an improved contact structure which is adaptable by substitution of different contact combinationsto provide different control functions. Another object is to .provide an electric switch particularly suited for operation by a reciprocating member which momentarily makes .one:circuit upon .movementof the reciprocating member in one direction and which may momentarily make another circuit upon movement of the reciprocating member in the reverse direction. A further object of the invenitionis to provide a durable and efiicient electric switch -.of1simp1e construction and few parts which may be easily .:and inexpensively manufactured.

These and other objects are carried out in accordance :with theinvention by the provision of a switch'having a movable contact preferablymade as a roller guidedand limited in movement over two runways having portions inclined in opposite directions and including fixed contacts positionedto be selectively engaged by the roller to provide for opening and closing one or more electric circuits.

"Other objects, advantages and features of the-invention will appear more clearly from the following description switch operating position and with the slide shown-in broken lines in the other switch operating position;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the switch as viewed from .the left side .of Figure 1, the .electromagnet being removed;

Figures 5 and 6 are planviews of the interiors of the half sections of the switch housing;

Figure 7 is a plan view. of a contact block;

' Patented June 14, 1960 ice Figure 8 is a plan view of a slide; 7

j-Figure ,9 is an enlarged sectional view of 'theeswitch taken substantially along the line 9-9 of Figure 3 but with the switch slide in the position indicated by broken lines in Figure 3 and the electromagnet removed;

Figures 10 and 11 are fragmentary enlarged plan'views corresponding respectively, to Figures 5 and 6 illustrating movement of a ball contact over the fixed contacts;

Figures 12and 13 are plan views similar to Figures 10 and 11 respectively, but with all contacts removed;

Figures 14 and 15 are sectional views taken on the lines 14-14 and 15-15 respectively, of Figures 12 and 71 3; and

Figures 16 and 17 are enlarged elevational views of terminals as viewed, respectively, from lines 1616 and 17--17 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 20 designates an electromagnet which may be of conventional construc tion having an actuating rod 22 with a reduced diameter portion 24 and an outer shell 26 counterbored at its end to provide a shoulder 28 for receiving an end closure plate 30. An electric switch 32 embodying the present invention is provided with a housing 34 which preferably comprises two complementary half sections 36 and 38 formed of'an insulating material such as a thermosetting resin. The housing 34 is substantially rectangular in shape with a circular flange 40 at one end which is positioned in shell 26 against the end .closure'plate 30. The end plate 30 and the housing flange 40 are secured against shoulder .28 by staking the end of the shell 26 into four notches 42 formed in the edge of flange 40. At the opposite flange 40, each housing half section 36, 38 ii! provided with-mating semicylindrical lugs 44 having an annular groove 46 in which is received aring retainer 48 of spring material. It will be noted that ring retainer 48 cooperates with the staked and counterbored end of shell 26 to hold the half sections 36, 38 of the housing together.

The inner faces of housing half sections 36, 38 are provided with complementary cavities open at one end to define a generally rectangular recess 50 having an end wall 52, parallel side walls 54 and 56, and rounded or concave side walls 58 and 60. Walls 54 and 56 are provided with recesses for the reception of various contacts which are preferably located in a plane below the major plane. of the inner surfaces of walls 54 and 56. Flat portions 62 of fixed contact terminals 64 and 66 of identical form are secured in recesses 68 and 70 respectively, by a pair of rivets 72 which have shank portions extending through openings in the contact terminals and housing walls. The shank portions of rivets 72 are upset over wiring tetrminals 74 disposed inrecesses in theouter surfaces of housing sections 36 and 38. Extending laterally from each flat portion 62 of terminals v64, is a narrow arm 76 having an arched portion 78 with a shoulder 80 extending preferably ,at right angles to the major plane of flat portion 62 and having a contact end portion 82 bent at right angles to the shoulder 80. Contact end portions 82 of terminals 64 and 66 respectively, are disposed in slightly deepened portions of recesses .68 and 70 whose side wallscooperate with shoulder 80 to provide sockets 84 and 86 for retaining ball contacts as will be hereinafter described.

The housinghalf section 36 also includes a second recess '90 shaped to receive two contact terminals 92 and 94 of identical form. As best seen in Figures 12 and 14, a generally elliptical boss 96-with pointed ends is centrally positioned in recess and hasan upper surface 98 located in the same plane as the major plane of the inner surface of-wall 54. Extending from one point of boss 96 :is a rib 1100 having a fiat upper surface-102 located a predetermined distance below surface 98. Ex-

tending from the other point of boss 96 is a rib 104 hav- 1 ing its flat upper surface 106 located in the same plane as surface 102. Boss 96 and ribs 100 and 104 divide recess 90 into two identical portions 108 and 110 symmetrically arranged about. boss 96. The recess portion .108 is provided with a generally rectangular pocket 112 connected by a slot 114 to runway 116which comprises .a flat starting portion or entrance 118 and a generally arcuate-shaped sloped portion or incline 120 terminating at shoulder 122 of rib 100 a small distance below'surface 102. Recess portion 118 similarly comprises a rectangular pocket 124 connected by slot 126 to runway I 128 which .has an entrance 130 and a generally arcuateshaped-incline 132 terminating at shoulder 134 of rib 104 a small distance below surface 106. The terminal ends 136 and 138 of contact terminals 92, 94 are received in their respective pockets 112 and 114 and are secured therein by rivets '72 which also secure suitable wiring terminals 74in recesses upon the outer surface of housing half section 36. Laterally extending arched arms 120 and 132. At their ends adjacent shoulders 122 and .134, the outer faces of contact portions 152 and 154, respectively, are substantially flush with surfaces 102 and '106 of ribs 188 and 104. Side walls 156, 158 and 160 of recess portion 108 cooperate with shoulder 1620f rib'104, shoulder 144 of contact terminal 92 and boss 96 to provide one runway having the contacting end of contact terminal 92 as a floon- A second runway 'hav- -ing'the contacting end of contact terminal 94 as a floor is formed by side walls 164, 166 and 168 of recess portion 110, shoulder 1700f rib 100, shoulder 146 of contact terminal 94 and boss 96.

Housing half section 38 has a recess 172 corresponding to recess 90 shaped to receive two contact terminals 174 and 176 which are identical to contact terminals 92, 94

except that the flat portions 178 and 180 respectively, of

their contacting ends are shorter and do not extend to the ends of runway entrances 182 and 184. Recess 172 'is identical to recess 90 except for having the 'end portions;186 and'188 respectively, of runway entrances 182 and 184 raised above the portions 198 and 192 receiving contactterrninal portions 178 and 180 byan amount substantially equal to the thickness of contact terminals 174 and 176. Hence, the outer faces of contact terminal por- "tion's1'78 and'180 are flush with the respective end portions 186 and 188 of runway entrances 182 and 184. The

An actuating member or slide 200, which is preferably made of .a' suitable thermosetting molding material, is

mounted for rectilinear sliding movement in recess 50 "of switch housing 34. Slide 200 has a generally rectangular body 202 from which projects an integral button '204 suitably recessed at 206 to receive the reduced diameter portion 24 of actuating rod 22 for shifting the slide 200 from one position to another. The opposite side edges 208 are rounded or convex to havecsliding engagement with rounded side walls 58 and 60 of the switch housing recess 50. The opposite faces 210 are provided with opposed substantially rectangular Cavities 212 for receiving a pair of contact blocks-214 urged in opposite directions by four coil springs 216 extending through ,bores 218 in web portion 220. Each contact block 214,

which is preferably molded of suitable insulating material, is formed with a generally-rectangular recess 222 having a relatively narrow branch 224. Received in each recess Y 4 V 222 is a bridging contact 226 having a fiat base portion 228 which is secured to contact block 214 by a rivet 230. Extending laterally from one side edge of base portion 228 and positioned in branch 224 is an arm 232 having an elongated contacting end portion 234 and an arched portion 236 with a shoulder 238 extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of portion 234. The op- I posite side edge of base portion 228 is bent along its sidewalls of recess 172 cooperate with the arched por- -;tions of contact terminals 174 and 176, ribs 194 and 196'and bo's's 198 to provide two runways.

length to provide an arched portion 240 with a shoulder 242 and a contacting'end portion 244 bent at right angles to shoulder 242 and offset to lie upon ledge 246 in recess 222. It will be noted that contacting end portion 234 and shoulder 238 cooperate with the side walls of branch 224 to define one channel 248 lying at right angles to a second channel 250 defined by contacting end portion 244, shoulder 242, and the side walls of recess 222.

Connection between the contact portions of the bridging contacts 226 and the contact terminals on housing 34 is established by the smooth round surface of contacts which preferably are balls of conducting material such as brass. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, one pair of ball contacts 252 and 254 are in engagement with contacting portions 234 and 244 respectively, of one common contact 226 which selectively.

connects contact terminal 64 to contact. terminals 92' and 94. Contact terminal 66 similarly is selectively connected to contact terminals 174 and 176 by a' pair of contact balls 256 and 258 respectively, engaging contacting portions 234 and 244 of the second common contact 226. Reciprocal movement of slider 200 in either direction upon either manual or electromagnetic actuation of actuating rod 22 will move the contacting ends'244' of contacts 226 in a direction along their lengths. Ball contacts 254 and 258 retained against linear movement in sockets 84 and 86 respectively, engage their.respcctive contacting portions 244 in channels 248 during move -cess 172. In this position therefore only contact terminals 64 and 92 are connected. When slide 200 is moved to the left hand position, the two channels 248 in which balls 252 and 256 are disposed are moved in a direction normal to thev direction in which channels 248 extend longitudinally to provide a switching action best seen with reference to Figures 10 and 11 where the right hand and left hand normal or at rest positions of contact balls 252 and 256 and their respective channels 248 are shown in broken lines! I Referringfirst to Figure 10, it will be noted that as channel 248 moves from its right hand position to its left hand position, ball 252 which is free to move lateral- -ly in channel 248 will be guided in runway 116 to move over flat portion 148 and arcuate-shaped portion 152 of contact terminal 92 until it passes over upper surface -102 of rib and falls down shoulder 170' of rib 100 to flat portion of contact terminal 94. It is apparent that upon reverse movement of channel 248 to the right,'ball contact 252 will be guided in runway 128 over fiat portion 150 and arcuate-shaped portion 154 of contact terminal 94 until it passes'over upper surface 106 of rib 104 and falls down shoulder 162 of rib 104 to flat'p'ortion 148 of contact terminal 92. The contact Eball 252 moving up the inclined surface of either contact-portion 152 0r 154 causes compression of springs 216 and when the ball 252 falls down the shoulder of the rib, the actuating force required to effect movement kill Referring now to Figure 11, it will be seen that ball contact 256 is movable within recess 172 in a manner identical to that described for movement of ball contact 252 in recess 90. However, because contact terminals 174 and 176 do not extend into the end portions 186 and 188 of runway entrances 132 and 184, contact terminals 174 and 176 are not engaged by ball contact 256' in either of its normal or at rest positions, but only momentarily during movement of the ball 256 between its normal positions. Thus, upon movement of the slider 209 to the left, ball contact 256 moves from runway entrance end portion 186 over contact terminal 174 and rib 1% to runway entrance without engaging contact terminal I 176. Similarly, on reverse movement of slider 200 to the right, ball contact 256 moves from runway entrance end portion 184 over contact terminal 176 and rib 194 to runway entrance 182 without engaging contact terminal 174.

It will be understood that the invention is applicable to switch constructions other than that specifically described; that the switch means may include more or less contacts than are shown and such contacts may have forms other than are shown depending upon the circuit or circuits to be controlled and the functions desired in connection with each circuit; and that the switch actuating member may move in other than a rectilinear manner. Accordingly, it is the intention to cover by the claims such changes in the arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of the preferred embodiment of the invention described and illustrated herein as may be reasonably included within the scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric switch comprising a body member and a contact element with a smooth round surface reciprocally movable relative to each other; said body member having two recessed runways formed therein in side-byside relationship and joined together near their ends; the bottom surface of each of said runways having an entrance portion at one end thereof and an inclined portion terminating at the entrance portion of the other runway in a shoulder defining a wall portion of said other runway; said inclined portions being inclined in opposite directions; said contact element being constrained to move alternately over said inclined portions through said runways; and means including a contact member operable selectively in response to relative movement of said body member and contact element to predetermined positions for elfecting control of an electric circuit.

2. An electric switch comprising an insulating member and a contact element of conductive material with a smooth round surface reciprocally movable relative to each other; said insulating member having two recessed runways formed therein in side-by-side relationship joined together near their ends; the bottom surface of each of said runways having an entrance portion atone end thereof and an inclined portion terminating at the entrance portion of the other runway in a shoulder defining a wall portion of said other runway; said inclined portions being inclined in opposite directions; a stationary contact carried by said insulating member and disposed in one of said runways; spring means acting to urge said insulating member and contact element together; and said contact element being constrained to move alternately over said inclined portions through said runways and being operable to selectively engage said stationary contact to effect control of an electric circuit.

3. An electric switch comprising two insulating members reciprocally movable relative to each other; said first member having a. channel facing said second memher and extending transversely to the path of movement of said members; said second member having two recessed runways formed therein in side-by-side relationship and joined together near their ends; each of said runways opening to said first member; the bottom surface of each of said runways having an entrance portion at one end thereof and an inclined portion terminating at the entrance portion of the other runway in a shoulder defining a wall portion of said other runway; said inclined portions being inclined in opposite directions; a first stationary contact carried by said first member and disposed in said channel; a second stationary contact carried by said second member and disposed in one of said runways; spring means acting to urge said insulating members together; and a contact ball movable in said channel and constrained to move alternately over said inclined portions through said runways upon relative movement of said members in opposite directions to selectively bridge said first and second stationary contacts.

4. An electric switch comprising a housing; a block adapted for reciprocation within said housing; one wall of said housing having two recessed runways formed therein and facing said block; said two runways being joined together near their ends and extending in a direction generally parallel with the direction of reciprocation; the bottom surface of each of said runways having an entrance portion at one end thereof and an inclined portion terminating at the entrance portion of the other runway in a shoulder defining a wall portion of said other runway; said inclined portions being inclined in opposite directions; said block having a channel facing said one wall of the housing and extending transversely to the direction of reciprocation; a first stationary contact carried by said housing and disposed in one of said runways; a second stationary contact carried by said block and disposed in said channel; a contact ball movable in said channel and runways; spring means acting against said block to resiliently urge said block toward said one wall of the housing; said block having means connected thereto for reciprocating it in said housing between two positions; said contact ball being constrained to move alternately over said inclined portions through said runways from one entrance to the other entrance upon reciprocation of said block between its two positions to selectively bridge said first and second stationary contacts.

5. The electric switch according to claim 4 wherein a terminal receiving pocket is connected by a slot to said one runway in which said first stationary contact is disposed; said first stationary contact having a contact portion disposed upon the floor of said one runway and a terminal portion secured in said pocket; and said contact portion and terminal portion of the first stationary contact being connected by an arm disposed in said slot and having a shoulder defining a wall portion of said one runway to prevent entry of said contact ball into said slot.

6. The electric switch according to claim 4 wherein said housing and block are provided with brush means including an extension of said second stationary contact; a third stationary contact carried by said housing; and a second ball contact bridging said extension of the second contact and said third stationary contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,178 Sansbury Sept. 14, 1948 2,828,636 Hall Apr. 1, 1958 2,851,646 Williamson et a1. Sept. 9, 1958 

